Diagnostic instrument



Aug. 1s, 1927. 1,638,986

H. l.. DE zENG DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUIEM vmed ual-sn 5,1925

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Patented Aug. 1.6, 1927.

HENRY L. DE ZENG, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DE ZENG STANDARD COM- EANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DIAGNOSTIC INSTRUMENT.

Application led March 5, 1925. Serial No. 13,235.

This invention relates to improvements in diagnostic instruments, and has particular reference to an improved illuminatin and reflecting instrument principally a apted for examining the orifices of the body, such l as throat, nose, etc.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of an illuminator and a. reiector so arranged as to be capable of insertion into the mouth or other openings of the body for the purpose of making observations or illuminating operations.

Another object is to provide such a device with a member capable of depressing the patients tongue to keep it out of the way when making a diagnosis or performing an operation.

Another object .is to provide such a device which will not be uncomfortable or injurious to the tongue or other parts with which it comes in contact. l

Still another object is to provide such a device with a reflector so disposed that a view of the back nasal passages may be easily had by the operator without necessitating the use of other means.

Still another object is to provide such a device which may be easily dismantled for the purpose of sterilizing, etc.

Another object is to provide such a device in which .illumination of varying intensity may be had in accordance with the nature of the worlr being done.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which will be simple in construction, strong and durable in servicek and an improvement .in the art. Another object is to provide a diagnostic instrument with a source of illumination, and a plurality of interchangeable attachments adapted to be selectively used therewith, more particularly the provision of a tongue depressor and laryngoscope adapted for interchange.

lith these and other objects in view, the inventionresides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention for the purposes of illustration:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a diagnostic instrument embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sec tional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; f

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the .laryngoscope detached from the holder;

Figure 6 is an elevation of a modified form of illuminating head;

Figures 7 and 8 are detail sectional views lllustrating a form of interchangeable mirror mounting for the laryngoscope;

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the tongue depressor plate adapted for interchange with the laryngoscope.

In carrying out the invention a. handle member 10 is provided which may be of the form adapted to contain a battery or which may be adapted for detachable connection to some other source of electrical energy as is well known in the art. n

At the upper end of the handle member 10 is a threaded extension 11 (Figure 3) preferably 0f a reduced diameter, said eX- tension being adapted to receive the internally threadedhead 12. A knurled nut 13 is also operative upon the threaded eXtension 11 and adapted to be screwed down against the top-cap 9 of the handle 10 to close the circuit to light the lamp.

The head member 12 is provided with an offset extension 14, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3, this extension being suitably formed to provide a guide way 15 for the interchangeable reception of either a tongue depressor blade or a laryngoscope, as desired. Overlying the offset member 14, and preferably secured thereto is a conduit 16 which is adapted at its eXtremityto receive the butt of an incandescent lamp 17. An electrical conducting wire 18 passes through. the conduit 16 and the head member 12 and carries at its extremity the yterminals 19 which are suitably insulated by the bushings 20 and 21. From this it will be apparent that the wire 18 and its terminals 19 form one side of the electric circuit from the batteryv or other source of energy, and the conduit 16, head 12, and associated parts, all being of metal forming the other side of the circuit which contacts with the outer shell 22 of the lamp butt.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 3, the offset extension is shown as disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the head :member 12, but I do not limit myselt vto .this angular' disposition, since it may be a right angle or obtuse angle it' desired. For example, las shown in Figure G, the Ablade lreceiving member 14a is mounted perpendicular to the axis ot the head 12a.

A laryngoscope attachment blade 23 is adapted to extend fromitihe headimember y12, and, as best shown in Figure 5, it has one enlarged extremity Q4 which is curved for a portion of its length, the amount of curvature vbeing greater than the thickness ot the guide lwa-y 15. In this way the enlarged extremity 24 may be inserted within the guide way 15, and because ot i-ts resilient nature it will 'be 1frictionally held so as not to be capable of accidental displacement. At the end, opposed from the enlargement VQ4, the blade 23 is offset as at 25 and provided with a suitable reflector Q6 which is so proportioned and mounted that when the blade is inserted in the guide way 15 the reflector Will vbe in line with the light coming :trom the lamp 17. rIlhereflector may be plane, as shown at 26 in Figure 7, or it may be concave as at 26 in Figure 8. In commercial application of the invention a laryngoscope blade 23 will be sold with a plurality of reflectors, some plane and'some concave, and some being larger in diameter than others. In order t-o facilitate interchanging o'f reflectors, the arm 23 carries .a ystud 27, to which the reflector casing r28 `may be screwed.

A sleeve 29 is Imounted slidvably upon the extremity ofthe conduit 16, and carries a cond-ensin-g lens 30 of any suitable type, thus forming at one time alight concentrating and focusing device. vBy adjusting the sleeve 29 axially-the intensity of the illumination vdirected towards the reflector 26 may be varied, as will be obvious.

In use, the operator grasps-the handle "1() and inserts the laryngoscope attachment blade 28 into lthe guide way `15, -liaving first selected the proper size of reflector, either plane or concave. The reflector 26 may then be inserted in the patients mouth tor the purpose ol making observations and as has .been previously stated, the condensing lens 30 may 'be adjusted to give vt-he proper intensityot illumination lby varying the vergency of' the light rays as desired. In view of this sim-ple yconstruction the laryngoscope attachment blade may be 4easily detached and sterilized after it has been used, which, o1 course, is veryfnecessary; and also, in view ot its frictional engagement in the guide way l5, it may be adjusted longitudinallv so as -to move the reflector toward or away 'from the lamp it desired.

In Figure 9 a tongue depressor blade 31 is illustrated, it being interchangeable with thelarynoscope blade in its ,application to the illun'iinating head. It is formed from a piece ot suitable sheet metal, and one of its ends 32 is o'f' approximately the same size and llongitudinal.curvature as the end 24 of the laryngoscope, while its other end is also widened, and curved in the opposite direction, as shown at 33. WVfhen -the lblade 81 is affixed to the illuminating head, it Amay be inserted in a patients mou-th and .the end 38 used to depress the tongue, for the purpose ot' examining the throat, relieving gagging, etc., as is well known to those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that an improved instrument has been devised which will be especially valuable to practitioners such as throat and note specialists, etc., said device being of a simple construction and such that -it will give eflicient service. Obviously, changes Vmay be made in the minor details of construction and arrangement ot parts, and the right vis herein reserved to malte such changes falling within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described my invention, lI claim-z 1. -In a device of the character described, a handle, a headon thehandle having an offset aim with -a longitudinal slideway thereon, a lamp adjacent the end of the arm, a slide having a condensing lens over the lamp, a resilient sheet stock blade adapted to fit in the slideway on the arm and having a displacement transverse to the slideway, and a mirror adjacent the other end of the blade, the said displacement ot the blade being adapted to increase the -resilient friction of the yblade in the slideway and said lens slide being adapted to be moved with respect to the lamp to focus the light on the mirror. i

`2. vFor use in combination with the oit'set arm of a diagnostic instrument having a longitudinal slideway, a resilient sheet stock instrument blade having one end shaped to fit the slideway and having an internal cut out portion intermediate -the sides fitting the slideway adapted to increase' the resilience of the vjoint portion and a. displacement transverse to the vplane ofthe blad-e at the joint portion adapted to insure the resilient trictional engagement of the vblade with the slide-way.

HENRY IL. DE ZENG.

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